News : Wraps come off the hybrid Range Rovers

Range Rover Hybrid (2)

Land Rover has unviled the new Range Rover Hybrid and Range Rover Sport Hybrid models. They’re described by their maker as the world’s first premium diesel SUV hybrids – but, more importantly, clearly demonstrate the flexibility of the new Premium Lightweight Architecture. The headline figures for the new Hybrids are 336bhp, 516lb ft, 169g/km and 44.1mpg combined. 

The new Range Rover Hybrid powertrain features three driver-selectable modes and combines the 3.0-litre SDV6 diesel engine with a 35kW electric motor integrated with the eight-speed ZF automatic transmission.  The hybrid system, including lithium ion battery pack, inverter and electric motor weighs less than 120kg. The electric motor produces 170Nm torque to boost acceleration and drives the vehicle in EV Mode.

The latest generation Range Rovers were designed with the integration of a hybrid system in mind.  Consequently, the liquid cooled battery pack is mounted beneath the floor of the vehicle in a protective boron-steel cradle without impacting on the cabin or luggage space.  Both hybrid Range Rover models retaining Land Rover’s four-wheel drive system including Terrain Response 2, with uncompromised wading and ground clearance.

To prove just how capable the new cars are, three Range Rover Hybrids set off on an epic trip Land Rover is calling the ‘Silk Trail 2013’. It’s a 10,000 mile expedition that starts in Solihull, visits 12 countries, takes in some of the world’s most challenging roads, passes and trails, including part of the ancient, 4000 mile Silk Road connecting Asia with the Mediterranean. The final destination of this adventure, which evokes memories of 2012’s Journey of Discovery, will be Tata’s headquarters in India.

The Silk Trail 2013 takes in France, Belgium, Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, China and India.  The expedition will be broken into 10 separate legs, with the Range Rover Hybrid vehicles driven by teams of Land Rover development engineers and invited media – arriving in Mumbai on October 15.

‘We are excited to introduce the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport Hybrids, the world’s first hybrid SUVs with legendary Land Rover capability.  The addition of a smooth electric drive enhances refinement, cuts CO2 emissions and delivers staggering performance on a par with our SDV8 engine,’ said John Edwards, Land Rover Global Brand Director.

Technical Specifications

  Range Rover Hybrid Range Rover Sport Hybrid
Engine type 3.0 SDV6 HEV 3.0 SDV6 HEV
Power PS/rpm 340PS@4000 340PS@4000
Torque Nm/rpm 700@1500-3000 700@1500-3000
0-62mph / 0-100km/h secs 6.9 6.7
Top speed mph (km/h) 135 (218) 140 (225)
CO2 Combined g/km 169 169
Combined consumption mpg (L/100km) 44.1 (6.4) 44.1 (6.4)
Weight From… kg 2394 2372

 

 

Keith Adams

21 Comments

  1. I do hope these Range Rovers will be reliable Hybrids. They make sense as many will be used as Chelsea Tractors in the cities but if the technology lets them down if wont be such good news…..fingers crossed Folks.

  2. Is there any indication yet as to how much of a premium price these hybrid models will likely command over the regular 3-litre SDV6-powered Range Rovers?

  3. Good on them and if the system is reliable should help them achieve the ever more stringent fleet averages.

  4. According to Autocar the Hybrid system will add around £30,000 to the price of a TDV6, making it about the same as a V8 Supercharged Petrol, nearly £100K! – Excellently engineered though, working seamlessly with the Diesel Engine and with no loss of off road capability or cabin space. It doesnt even add that much weight. Probably wont make much sense in the UK/Europe, but will go down well in China and the US.

  5. with all the evidence of global warming, peak oil and harmful exhaust emmissions and to the public , you have to be stupid or self-centered to want to own or be seen in these so called “premium” “image” monstrosities.

    The sooner these little boys toys are legislated into oblivion the better

  6. Technologically clever, but a bit pointless, who buys a £100,000 SUV and then worries about fuel consumption? Especially as the US market doesn’t like diesels anyway…

  7. Ref Paul H’s comment……………the words “working seamlessly”, and “Range Rover” are not two phrases often used in the same sentence.

  8. At the moment Land Rover can do no wrong! Barely a week goes by without a new model or some other positive news.

  9. @7 MM, I take it you also want to ban the construction of large houses for the same reasons. At what point would you deem a vehicle to be unacceptable? Do you envisage Discovery owners having to show a need to tow a trailer or remain mobile in winter or would an annual trip to the Alps for a skiing holiday be OK, or in your world would skiing holidays also be banned. I for one thought that your attitude died with the fall of the Berlin wall.

  10. #12, yes I would discourage the construction of excessive large houses along with such vulgarities as Range Rovers etc.

    Fairly distributed and applied, there are the resources for all to receive a fair share, but there is not enough to cater for the greedy motives of a selfish minority.

    As for the analogy of skiing holidays etc, you do not need a £100k vehicle to drive up a slope.

  11. @13, I think i will have the V8 supercharged with no cats, after all the fraud “global warming” was proven and then it became “climate change” so all the green zealot weirdos could get a stiffy.

    It would be a splendid two fingers to these fools as well, after all, they cant explain the merits of a windfarm on a calm,windless day any more than why the tramps protesting against fracking are doing poncing about when the thing they are protesting about has been going on for about 50 years in the UK without a murmer.

  12. Diesel hybrid (as opposed to petrol) – good lads!

    What’s the range between fillups?

    Might apply more to Defenders but diesel might be easier to obtain going seriously offroad/international.

    Has that outfit doing battery-only Rangies given up yet?

    @15 nice to see a calm reasoned debate…

  13. Although the hybrid systems low weight of 120kgs is commendable, is it worth the mooted £30k premium as reported in Autocar? How stupifyingly absurd, why not a CNG/LNG system instead?

    The company i work for runs a number of converted Daf XF 105’s with superb results.

    Is it viable at that price?

  14. I was reading on Honest John that hybrids are pretty reliable. Prius’ have hit seriously big mileage working as taxis. The batteries last years and the only other thing that’s in them is a big motor and some electronics. He seems to reckon it’s modern diesels that are a nightmare, but hopefully given the ubiquity of the TDV6 they’ll be an affordable risk by the time I can afford any of the current JLR line up.

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